A Jeep rests on its side after sliding on a patch of ice on Minnesota 371 North in Nisswa, Minn., on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. High winds and blowing snow are creating hazardous driving conditions across central Minnesota. (AP Photo/Brainerd Dispatch, Steve Kohls)

Interstate 94 near Alexandria closed late Thursday morning after several semis jackknifed in blizzard conditions, prompting the State Patrol to issue travel warnings.

A pair of semis jackknifed between Alexandria and Osakis about 9:30 a.m., and another semi jackknifed near the Evansville exit later in the morning, the patrol said.

Eastbound I-94 remained closed until 1:30 p.m. Thursday -- at times, gusts of wind topping 50 mph dropped visibility to between 200 feet and a quarter mile, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Two highways in northwestern Minnesota also closed early Thursday afternoon as ferocious winds and extremely limited visibility made navigating nearly impossible.

U.S. 2 between East Grand Forks and Crookston and Minnesota 200 from the North Dakota border to Ada first closed shortly after 3 a.m. before opening again shortly after 9 a.m. By 1 p.m., the patrol had closed the routes yet again.

Blizzard conditions are expected to remain in the Red River Valley until 9 p.m., the National Weather Service said. Travel conditions are considered "impossible," according to the weather service.

In the metro, snow showers with areas of blowing snow will arrive just in time for the evening rush hour. Then, wind chill values as low as 11 below zero will sweep in, fueled by gusts of wind reaching 30 mph.